How can you calculate the cost of a 3D printed part?

Filament or Resin: Calculate the cost of the material used for printing. This is often based on the weight of the material consumed. Check the cost per kilogram or liter of the specific filament or resin.

In practice, it is just as easy to get direct, automatic, quotes from your service bureau of choice. There are so many materials available now, just select one that is similar to the material you expect to use during manufacture, and get an instant quote. No calculation required on your part! Yet, if you absolutely need a calculation - in a very Sheldon Cooper way - get the volume from your 3D modeling program, and the specific gravity of the proposed material. You need those two bits of information! Using them, follow this calculation: V(volume of part in cubic centimeters) times Specific Gravity = W(part weight in grams. From there, convert to whatever unit your resin is costed in, and find your price per part.

The cost of the material will depend on various factors, such as the amount of material consumed to make the print, the type of plastic, future problems that may occur when printing an object... There are various mathematical equations for calculating material costs more accurately, and there are also programs or even websites that do this automatically for you.

If you absolutely need a calculation, you need info. 1) Get the volume of your part from your 3D modeling program. Rhinoceros will spit out a volume for any watertight 3D model. It needs to be in cubic centimeters. 2) Get the Specific Gravity of the proposed material. Olefins will be at ~0.97 and ABS/Polycarbonate will be at ~1.2 or so. Specific Gravity is simply how many grams a cubic centimeter of your material weighs. You need those two bits of information! Using them, follow this calculation: V x SG = W(part weight in grams. From there, convert to whatever unit your resin is costed in, and find your price per part.

Printer Time: Estimate the time it takes to print the part. Most 3D printers provide an estimated print time. Multiply this by the hourly operating cost of the printer. Power Consumption: Consider the energy consumption of the 3D printer during the printing process. Multiply the power consumption (in kilowatts) by the cost per kilowatt-hour.

Add up all the individual costs calculated from the steps above to determine the total cost of the 3D printed part. Keep in mind that these calculations are estimates, and actual costs may vary based on specific circumstances, equipment efficiency, and material prices. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your cost calculations is important to ensure accurate pricing. Additionally, if you're using a 3D printing service, they may provide a quote based on your part's specifications and their pricing structure.

What I do is simple. I quote Time and Material Cost, then add Postprocessing if needed. Time and Material already takes into account Volume and Quality as they are actually correlated.

When you're dealing with multiples, knowing how to arrange or nest them is paramount to reducing downtime and overall print cycles. Some software can do this for you but other parts may require creative solutions like 3D or vertical nesting. Another key to effective 3D printing is to understand how to design parts that optimize it's capabilities. If you need accurate reproductions of existing parts, you'll be limited. However, if you are designing parts specifically for 3D printing, adjust your models to align with your printers capabilities: overhang angles, multi-material or single material, printable internal geometries, etc. Take time to understand your slicers setting to optimize prints for what matters for each part.